Conventional laundry washing machines are started at the time the clothes and detergent are loaded into the machine. However, numerous situations exist wherein a delayed start of the washing cycle is desirable. For example, if a dishwasher is operating or someone is taking a shower, and hot water is wanted for the wash cycle, it would be desirable to delay start of the washing machine until the dishwasher and/or shower is finished. It may also be desirable to delay the start of the wash cycle of the washing machine if the user wants the washing cycle to finish at a specified time. Another reason to delay the start of the washing machine is to avoid the noise of the machine, for example if someone is sleeping or trying to watch TV nearby.
It is undesirable to stop the washing machine after it has started, since there may be dye transfer between wet clothes. Therefore, it is desirable to delay the start of the washing machine after the laundry is loaded into the machine but before water is added to the machine.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a delayed start method of operating a laundry washing machine.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method of washing laundry using liquid detergent, which is dispensed after a time delay before the wash cycle starts.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method of washing laundry wherein a timer in the control circuitry is actuated by the user to delay start of the wash cycle.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.
In a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention relates to the delay of the wash cycle for a vertical axis washing machine. More particularly, laundry is placed into the basket of the washing machine, and liquid laundry detergent is added to the fabric softener dispenser. A desired time delay is set by the user using the control circuitry of the machine. After the time delay has expired, the basket goes into a short spin cycle so as to discharge the detergent from the dispenser into the basket. Then, a standard wash cycle is commenced.
In a similar embodiment, the liquid detergent is replaced with particulate detergent, which is placed into a container or platform for discharge when the laundry basket spins following the time delay.